The Comanex Legacy
by Diviner
Summary: A young Sith warrior, meets a potential new addition to his family. One Shot! This is my take on how the Legacy system works with the Imperial story line.


The Comanex Legacy

Disclaimer: Star Wars, The Old Republic is owned by Bioware and Lucas Arts. This story was written and posted for my own enjoyment and not for monetary gain. Do not copy or re-post this story without my express written permission.

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Nobody outside of the Empire ever really considered what the effect of Clan and Legacy had on the stability of the Empire. In fact the Empire has always been, and will likely always be the ultimate meritocracy. But even in the ultimate meritocracy, you occasionally need help on your rise to power, and often the first place you can look for something like that is family.

Even powerful Sith Lords, the very definition of people who have earned their success through their own merits, often looked first to Clan and Legacy for people to command their household troops, maintain their households, man their personal fleet of warships, or even supply them with needed weapons, food and/or tools to run their households. In turn other citizens, like merchants, scientists, soldiers or even ordinary people, belonging to a powerful legacy or Clan meant they could look to that family unit for their initial advancement, as well as protection when they brush up against powerful rivals. In return, Legacies gained a lot of prestige when they could call powerful members of society like Admirals, Generals, and Captains of Industry as part of their Legacy.

Of course the most prestige came from claiming Sith as members of your Legacy. Since Sith, even in the Imperial Capital of Drummond Kaas were rare, claiming even an acolyte was something to be proud of. It went without saying the further up the hierarchy a Sith arose the more power and prestige the Legacy could claim.

"And that", mused a young Sith Apprentice, "is precisely what is sending me on my current errand."

The young Sith, a human, was every ounce the perfect warrior. Standing over six and a half feet tall, he was broad shouldered and quite muscular, his shiny white bald head was accented by a neatly trimmed silvery moustache and goatee. His mother, a mate to a Sith Lord, and a powerful naval officer in her own right had always stressed that a neat and orderly appearance projected a power in of itself. His sole blemish, if you could call it that, on his handsome face was the circular tattoo round his right eye, proudly proclaiming his status as Sith to all he should encounter.

The Comanex Legacy, to which young Kueba'al Comanex was a member of, had traditionally several powerful Sith lords as members at any given time. Kueba'al himself was directly descended from a line of Sith Lords that held not only his father, but older brother as well as an aunt who achieved the rank of Darth, who was three or four times removed from his father. This of course gave the family an unprecedented level of power across the empire, and as such the family Comanex was in the fore front of the war with the Republic.

Unfortunately, being in the forefront of the battle carries risks, and by the end of the war, the Comanex family discovered that where they had three powerful Sith Lords, they now had none. At least until young Kueba'al entered the academy to formally begin his training as Sith. But in the meantime it appeared that the Legacy Comanex's star was falling.

Appearing weak in the Empire was that last thing the Legacy Elders wanted. But out of the ashes of war arose a new opportunity. The Emperor, in his wisdom knew that the current peace would not hold, and before hostilities resumed the Empire would need more Sith to carry the fight to the enemy. Therefore he decreed that any person be they noble, citizen or slave, regardless of blood purity or race, if they had the potential to become Sith then they would be trained.

Kueba'al's mother, Admiral Jasiah Comanex, acting on the behalf of the Clan Elders had discovered a young slave girl named Aramanthus in the pleasure houses of Drummond Kaas. The Clan elders arranged for the young girl to be sent to one of the many Sith Academies for her early training. If she survived her early training she would then be evaluated and offered adoption into the clan if she was worthy of the honour.

Kueba'al had just finished is trials on Korriban, and was now the newly minted apprentice to Darth Baras, who was famous for his exploits in the last war. As Kueba'al awaited his transport ship, the Black Talon, he had the opportunity to meet young Aramanthus to see if she would be a good recruit for the Comanex Legacy.

Kueba'al glanced over the dossier provided by his mother. It detailed Aramanthus, her family line, the reviews by her instructors at the Academy where she learned her early Sith training. Apparently, Aramanthus was a slave who was the descendants of Imperial slaves, going back several generations. Jasiah was able to trace Aramanthus's linage back nearly 200 years without finding any pre-existing ties. Jasiah felt, that this would eliminate the possibility of the recruit holding any sort of loyalty outside the Comanex clan. Also being an Imperial slave as opposed to one purchased in recent years from the Hutts, she would be more familiar with Imperial society.

Kueba'al thumbed over to her Academy reviews. For the most part they were quite positive. She showed extraordinary talent in the application of force powers, force lightening in particular, but skill in weapons was marginal at best. Her instructor in weapons was the same one Kueba'al had for his early instruction. If it wasn't the training droids he family had purchased early on he would have received the same review. The problem really was the instructor, Blath Garn. A Sith pureblood of small ability but of huge ego and arrogance, who thought it was his Emperor given right to determine who should be Sith or not. He often bragged that there were two types of Acolytes he set to Korriban, warriors and K'lor'slug bait. Obviously he thought of Aramanthus as the latter.

Kueba'al sighed, "Well there is nothing to be done about that now."

Kueba'al moved to the lift and went down to the docking level where Aramathus's shuttle was docking. As he entered the bay he noticed the large crowd of acolytes milling about. Feelings of excitement and reservation rang throughout the Force. Soon they would be organized into groups of six or eight loaded onto shuttles and sent off to Korriban where they would undergo their trials and hopefully catch the eye of their future masters. Kueba'al knew from experience that only about 1 in 6 or 1 in 8 of the Acolytes in this room would actually survive their experiences on Korriban. Being part of the family would not protect Aramanthus from her fellow students, but it should protect her from being killed outright by Overseers down on the surface who do not want to see slaves rise to the exalted rank of Sith.

Kueba'al identified the young slave girl off to the side standing somewhat apart from the rest of the throng, and strode over to her.

"Acolyte!" he demanded. "I would have a word with you."

"Yes, my lord" she replied.

"Walk with me!" Kueba'al stated as turned and started away from the rest of the group. Aramanthus quickly fell in beside the Sith Apprentice.

They moved off to the far side of the docking bay, out of earshot of the rest of the Acolytes but still under the watchful eye of the overseers. Kueba'al knew that while none of them would object to him having a word with the Acolyte, his mother's bribes had guaranteed him of that. He would not be permitted to leave the docking bay with her. Acolytes were not allowed to avoid their fate on Korriban, by fleeing.

Aramanthus was quite an attractive young human female. She had long white blonde hair that hung down past her shoulders that framed attractive face with high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes. Her acolyte robes probably concealed a slender frame and an athletic build.

As if anyone training to become Sith could be anything but athletic, Kueba'al snorted to himself. When the only alternative to becoming Sith was death, it's amazing how many people will get off their lazy behinds and exercise.

As Kueba'al turned to address the young Acolyte, she met his gaze calmly. Through the force Kueba'al could sense the young woman's feelings, a mixture of curiosity, trepidation and not a small amount of wariness.

Good, mused Kueba'al that slave-born wariness will serve her well in the trials to come.

"My name is Kueba'al Comanex." he began, "I am the apprentice to Darth Baras. I am here today to talk to you not on his behalf, but on the behalf of my Clan and Legacy."

"My Lord?" replied Aramanthus, "I don't understand."

"It's quite simple really." said Kueba'al, "My family has a long and noble tradition of service to the Empire. We can trace our Legacy back to the early days of the Great Hyperspace War. Over the millennia members of my family have been great generals, admirals, wealthy industrialists, and Sith."

"In the last war, my family had three members who served with great honour and distinction. Sith who led the charge against the Emperor's enemies and gave their lives for the Empire. Unfortunately, that was an entire generation of Sith to which I am the only heir."

"What does this have to do with me?" inquired the young Acolyte, "Are you looking for… my genetic material?"

Clearly, she still sees herself as a slave, with little value in of herself, thought Kueba'al.

"No, we aren't looking for the help of your children in next generation of Sith" Kueba'al replied, "We want you to be a Sith within our family today!"

Aramanthus was clearly taken aback by this, "But why, why would you want a slave, a pleasure slave for that matter?"

"You are NOT a slave!" Kueba'al replied forcefully, "As soon as it was determined that you could use the force, and you stepped foot in the training academy you were no longer a slave. The force did truly set you free!"

"But my lord," said Aramanthus in return, "Slave or former slave, the question still remains. Why choose me?"

There is some strength here after all, though Kueba'al to himself.

"It's quite simple really" said Kueba'al as he began to explain. "Clan and Legacy is an important part of daily life in the Empire. And the Comanex Legacy, has always had a large number of influential family members including Sith, in the last decade since the war that's changed while we still have high ranking military people, like my mother who is an admiral under Darth Malgus, for the first time in nearly 1000 years there were no Sith. Well until I gained my apprenticeship with Darth Baras."

"But the point is, with the Emperor's command that all who are force sensitive be trained, we have the opportunity to adopt you into the clan. Where there was one Sith, now there could now be two."

"What is in it for me?" inquired Aramanthus.

Spoken like a true Sith, mused Kueba'al. Slaves in the Empire are trained, never to question, never to look a citizen, not to mention a Sith in the eye, the punishments for which could be brutal. Yet here was Aramanthus doing both, despite a lifetime of "training" otherwise. That will carry her far, Kueba'al thought to himself.

"A Sith's power is not only based on his connection to the force," I said "it also includes the other power and resources that he can bend to his will. Like I said, we have officers throughout the Imperial military; our family owns shipyards and manufacturing facilities across the empire, so that means wealth and influence that will greatly assist you in carrying out missions for your future master.

"Not to mention, carrying the name Comanex down to the surface of Korriban will help protect you from overseers who would not want to see a slave's get attain the rank of Sith. It won't protect you from your fellow classmates during your trials, but none of the staff of the Korriban academy will act directly against you."

"They say that the Jedi cast aside all forms of attachments including family when they are accepted to become Jedi, as if somehow being alone against the galaxy somehow makes them better. As Sith we know the value of using everything, including our family to make ourselves better and more powerful Sith."

"There are other slaves," replied Aramanthus, "Even in my own group there are several former slaves that could serve as well as I."

"While it is true there are other former slaves, and we are keeping an eye out for other recruits, the fact is you ARE better than the rest of your classmates. Your presence in the force is strong, perhaps even as strong if not stronger than my own. Also few of your classmates former slave or not would have the strength of will to question me as you have done. You are a survivor and that more than anything will carry you through the trials to come."

"What do I have to do if I agree?" asked the former slave.

Kueba'al brought out a hand scanner from behind his back, "Simply press your thumb against the scanner it will take your finger print and your genetic scan. You will be registered in the central Imperal database as a member of Clan Comanex. The Academy on Korriban should have your updated information before you land."

Aramanthus, reached out and pressed her thumb against the scanner, after a few seconds the light flashed and the small machine had finished it's task.

"There," said Kueba'al. "You are now known to the Empire as Aramanthus Comanex, adoptive daughter of Jasiah Comanex, and incidentally my adoptive sister as well. Serve the Empire with honour, as befitting of your new family."

"Thank you," said Aramanthus.

"May the Force ever serve you, sister" replied Kueba'al. "And be careful during your trials. While this should protect you from overseers killing you outright, it won't stop them from assigning you trials that they won't believe you have the chance of successfully completing."

The overseers were now organizing the Acolytes into groups, to be sent to Korriban. Aramanthus joined her group. Kueba'al, watched as the young woman boarded a shuttle bound for Korriban. He had to admit that he was impressed. If she makes it off Korriban, someday the whole Empire would sit up and take notice of that young woman, the force told him so.


End file.
